Claudia Sheinbaum confronts cartels, Trump, and AMLO legacy in governing

Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, took office in December 2024 with a pledge to chart an independent course for the country’s governance. A former mayor of Mexico City and a leading figure in the ruling Morena party, she won the election with a narrow majority and immediately signaled a focus on economic growth, energy reform and social policy while emphasizing the need to distance her administration from the more populist style of her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO).

Early in her term, Sheinbaum has confronted a complex set of external and internal pressures. In Washington, she has been forced to navigate the lingering impact of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s hard‑line immigration and trade policies, which continue to shape bilateral negotiations on the United States‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement and on migrant flows. Domestically, the president has launched a multi‑agency crackdown on powerful drug cartels that have intensified violence in several states, allocating additional resources to the National Guard and seeking greater coordination with local police forces. At the same time, she faces expectations to uphold or modify AMLO’s hallmark initiatives, such as the “guardería” social programs and the energy sector’s emphasis on state control, while attempting to introduce reforms that reflect her own policy priorities.

Analysts note that Sheinbaum’s ability to balance these competing demands will shape Mexico’s political and economic trajectory in the coming years. Her administration’s success in managing U.S. relations, curbing cartel activity and redefining the legacy of AMLO’s governance will determine whether she can establish a distinct governing identity or remain constrained by the forces that dominate the nation’s current landscape.